Biography

I'm a British Expat who has been living in the USA since 1982. Since 1996 I've been living near Seattle Washington USA and have recently moved to a new home in a town called Mill Creek about 20 miles NE of downtown Seattle City. I was first licensed in UK in 1971 as G4AMD back in the days when you took your CW test at a local ship/shore radio station all very intimidating! I had the good fortune to live and work in the Caribbean for Cable and Wireless Ltd and was 8P6EK in Barbados and then VP2AZA in Antigua, working DX from simple dipoles at home and professional Rhombics at work with a Heathkit HW32A sideband rig on 20m. The DX pileups were super fun but going back to UK to be just a "normal" G station was a serious let down!!!

Professionally I've been in Radio and telecommunications since leaving college in the UK, and have travelled around the world doing engineering, product marketing and business management for the past 43years. I'm currently managing a company that builds solidstate RF amplifier systems and modules for professional applications. Google "AR Modular RF" to see some of the cool amps we build for tactical Radios.



My second passion is Vintage British cars. I have a 1961 MGA that I took 2 years to restore back in 1989. I now use the car for fun driving at the weekends.



I also have a Triumph Bonneville T100 motorcycle that gets used for work commuting in the summer as well as evening and weekend rides

I'm currently active on HF/VHF 80m thru 6m and 2m/70cm FM in the Seattle WA area mornings 7.30am, and 5pm on 147.34 (woodinville repeater). My new QTH in Mill Creek WA has heavy restrictions so I'm now limited to a Ground mounted 5 band vertical (14AVQ + extra trap and 35ft vertical wire) and a120ft long dipole up 50ft in the trees by the house fed at the center with open wire feeders and an LDG 600 PRO tuner. Also have a vertical 20m Quad loop up at 55ft. These antennas are remotely switched from the shack on the other side of the house and the dipole and tuner give me a match on all bands. However this location (close quarters houses) has a lot of electrical noise, computers and light dimmers etc so reception isn't the best at times. The "main radio" is a new Kenwood TS590 backed up by my 25 year old Kenwood 440SAT and BHI noise fllter to help quieten the QRN, I also have a super little QRP FT817.

When things get tough with my limited antennas I have a Dentron GLA1000B amplifier to help DX stations hear me better, but I use it very sparingly due to the proximity of my very friendly and tolerant neighbours!



Ham Shack January 2014, Kenwood TS440SAT and new TS590, Dentron GLA1000B 400W amplifier. Home brewed coax Remote switch system to allow me to switch between ground mounted vertical for 10, 15, 20, 40, 80, 20m vertical Quad loop, and an Extended Zepp dipole 120ft long and 50ft agl center fed with home brewed 600 ohm feeder from a large open coil balun and LDG 600 Pro remote tuner that covers all bands 80-6m, and a 6 metre dipole.

QSL image for G4AMD

Additionally I use the FT817as QRP for fun on HF and a change of pace to the normal home set up and have operated QRP internationally in VK3, DL, and G lands in recent times. I have built a 100W HF brick PA for the shack that covers up to 6m and a 100W amp for the mobile operation in my truck so the little rig gets a lot of use in a number of environments and has been a lot of fun to use.

Equipment

Ham Shack January 2014, Kenwood TS440SAT and new TS590S, Dentron GLA1000B 400W amplifier. Home brewed coax Remote switch system to allow me to switch between ground mounted vertical for 10, 15, 20, 40, 80, 20m vertical Quad loop, and an Extended Zepp dipole 120ft long and 50ft agl center fed with home brewed 600 ohm feeder from a large open coil balun and LDG 600 Pro remote tuner that covers all bands 80-6m, and a 6 metre dipole.

Additionally I use the FT817as QRP for fun on HF and a change of pace to the normal home set up and have operated QRP internationally in VK3, DL, and G lands in recent times. I have built a 100W HF brick PA for the shack that covers up to 6m and a 100W amp for the mobile operation in my truck so the little rig gets a lot of use in a number of environments and has been a lot of fun to use.